CP Science 9

Climates of California Lab

PURPOSE: Locate and Study the eleven major climate zones of California

MATERIALS:

"Climates of California" Table

Koppen System of Climatic Classification

"World Climate Map" (Text p.594)

Text Chapter 13a, pp. CA5,CA14 and CA15

colored pencils

PROCEDURE:

Use your textbook and the information on the "Climates of California" Table to locate the 11 climate regions on the map.

Compare the data in the climate table to the description of the Koppen System of Climatic Classification, identify and record on the table the symbol of the KÖppen climate type for each region.

Color the regions and record the key on the data table.

Use the "Climates of California" map, textbook and other resources to answer the DATA ANALYSIS questions.

Climates of California Table

Regions / Annual Temp
Range (oC) / Annual Average Temp (oC) / Annual ppt. (cm)
Klamath Mountains / -2 to 23 / 11 / 50-200; high in winter
Coast Ranges / 10 to 14 / 12 / 25-50 (S)
150-180 (N)
Transverse Ranges / 11 to 19 (W)
5 to 27 (E) / 15 (W)
16 (E) / 40-75; dry summer, wet winter
Peninsula Ranges / 12 to19 / 16 / 18-60
Modoc Plateau / -2 to 20 / 9(<0 for six months) / 25-50
Cascades
(Cascade Range) / 0 to 20 / 10 / 50-150
Great Valley / 8 to 26 / 17 / 15-25
Mojave Desert / 9 to 53 / 31 / <4
Colorado Desert / 0 to 40 / 20 (>32 for six months) / <3.5, evaporation >ppt.
Sierra Nevada / 0 to 17 / 9 / 60-175
Basin and Range
(Great Basin) / 5 to 25 / 15 / 10-25

DATA ANALYSIS:

1.  Match the letters A-F on the map with the following cities. Which climate type does each of them have?

Cities / Letter on map / Climate Type / Cities / Letter on map / Climate Type
Los Angeles / Sacramento
San Diego / Fresno
Santa Barbara / San Francisco

2. Which climate regions are most likely to be affected by the ocean?

3. Which climate region has the coldest winters?

4. Which climate region has the hottest summers?

5. The following regions are in the rain shadow zones of which mountains?

Great Basin ______

Great Valley ______

Cascades ______

Modoc Plateau ______

Mojave Desert ______

DATA ANALYSIS:

2.  Match the letters A-F on the map with the following cities. Which climate type does each of them have?

Cities / Letter on map / Climate Type / Cities / Letter on map / Climate Type
Los Angeles / Sacramento
San Diego / Fresno
Santa Barbara / San Francisco

2. Which climate regions are most likely to be affected by the ocean?

3. Which climate region has the coldest winters?

4. Which climate region has the hottest summers?

5. The following regions are in the rain shadow zones of which mountains?

Great Basin ______

Great Valley ______

Cascades ______

Modoc Plateau ______

Mojave Desert ______

Climates of California Lab

TABLE:

No. / Name of Climate Region / Koppen Symbol / Color Key
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11

Climates of California Lab

TABLE:

No. / Name of Climate Region / Koppen Symbol / Color Key
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11